Staple-making machine and method



\ Aug. 19, 1930. s. F. BAuwENs Y 1,773,512 sTAPLE MAKING MACHINE AND METHOD Original Filed Feb. 2, 1924 9 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ATTO R N EY Aug, 19, 1930. s. F. BAuwENs STAPLE MAKING MACHINE AND METHOD 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Feb. 2,V 1924 INVEN'ron ATTO R N EY s. F. BAUwENs 1,773,512

STAPL MAKING MACHINE AND METHOD Aug. 19, 1930.

Original Filed Feb. 2, 1924 9 SheebS-She'et 3 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 mvsNTpn AT1-dann Aug. 19, 1930. s. F. BAUwENs STAPLE MAKING MACHINE AND METHOD Original Filed Feb. 2, 1924 Aug. 19, 1930.

s. F. BAuwENs 1,773,512

STAPLE MAKING MACHINE AND METHOD Original Filed Feb. 2. 1924 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Ilm MH) will INVENTOR JMai; @6mm ATTO H N EY Aug. 19, 1930. s. F BAUwl-:NS 1,773,512

STAPLE MAKING MACHINE AND METHOD Original Filed Feb. 2, 1924 9 Sheets-Sheet G s @HHH ii Il ATTO R N EY Aug. 19, 1930. s. FBAUwENs STAPLE MAKING MACHINE AND METHOD original Filed Feb. 2, 1924 9 sheets-sheet 7 'ATTO R N EY Aug. 19, 1930. s. F. BAUwENs 1,773,512

STAPLE MAKING MACHINE AND METHOD Original Filed Feb. 2, 1924 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 v. NN Q v .fn Wwf/ man..

AT-TORN EY Aug. 19, 1930.

STAPLE Original Filed Feb. 2, 1924 s. F. BAUwNs 1,773,512

MAKING MACHINE AND METHOD 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 Paieniedng. 19, 1930 SERAPHINE F. BAIIWENS, OF CHICAGO, ILL

INlOIS, ASSIG-NOR T0 WIREBOUNDS PATENTS COMPANX, A CORPORATION OF MAINE n sTArLE-MAKING MACHINE AND METHOD original application. inedrebruary 2, 1924, serial No. 690,170, and in canada July 21, 1924.' Divided and I i this application filed November 6, 1926. Serial No. 146,808.

` This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 690,170 filed February 2, 1924. y

My invention relates to stapling machines and) processes, and particularly to staple forming mechanisms and processes.

Among other objects, my invention is in-` tended to provide animproved staple forming mechanism and process, by the use of which, staples having tapering points substantially round in cross-section `may be pro-V duced eliciently and economically.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation partly in section of a boX end stapling machine embodying the invention and showing a boX and its end or head thereon in position to be acted upon by the machine.

Fig. 2 is a sectional side Velevation taken on the line Aw-A of Fig. 4; cetain'pats being broken` away `for clearness of illustration. F

Fig. 3 Kis a sectional side elevation taken on the line B-B of Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan View taken on the line C-C of Fig. 2.

\ Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the machine. Fig. 6. is a rear elevation of the machine. Figs. 7 and 8 are enlarged/sectional side elevations of thefstaple-forming and driving mechanism in diierentk phases of its operation. i v I Figs. 9 and 10 are enlarged detailed views of the mechanismffor pointing` the staples, Fig. 9 being a side elevation of the forming dies between which thestaple wire is pointed and Fig. 10 being a plan view of the under side of the stationary die. t

s Fig. 11is an enlarged perspective view of a. round-pointed staple made on the 4illustrative machine.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged perspective view of i a chisel-pointed staple made von the illustrative machine. d y

Fig. 13 is an end View of the stapling arm seen from the line D-D of Fig. 3; the loop bar of the staple-forming mechanism being left out for clearness of illustration.

Fig. 14 is a sectional view of the stapleformingand driving mechanism taken onthe line E`E of Fig. 3. A

Fig. 15 is a sectional vieW taken on the line F-F of Fig.A 3.

Fig. 16 is a sectional View taken on the line G-G of Fig. 2.

line H-H of Fig. 2.

Fig. 18 is a sectional view taken on the line I-I of Fig. 2.

f Figs 19, 20 and4 21 are sectional side elevai tions of the work-feeding mechanism showing the position of the parts during different phases of its'operation.

Fig. 22 is a top plan viewfof the stapling arms with a box and its end or head being operated upon; the full lines showing the position of the box when the machine is started. and the dotted lines showing its position after the thirdstaple has been driven.

The illustrative machine is designed to receive and position a cleat-reinforced box or crate and its end or head, and to fasten the' end or head to the cleats by forming staples Within the box or crate and driying the same upward through the., end or head into the cleats. f

Themachine consists generally of stapleforming 'and driving mechanism operable within a box or crate and close to the sides thereof to form staples out of staple stock wire automatically fed thereto and to drive ,the same through the end'or head and into cleats of the box or crate. Means are provided to position the box orcrate and its end or head during the stapling operations, to feed the work between-staplingfoperations, to clinch staples which may be driven through theV cleats, and to form either chisel-pointed or round-pointed staples.

The several means and their operating mechanisms are supported by body frames 1 connected by a tie-rod 2 and tie-bar 3.

The staple-forming and driving units, of which there are two,'are carried by stapler arms I4 which are supported by tie-[rod 2 and tie-'bar 3, the upper rear end of said arms being provided with bearings 5 to receivetie-` rod 2'and the lower rear end of said arms being rovided with a foot 6 to engage Vtie-bar 3'. tapler arms 4 are relatively adjustable Fig. 17 is a sectional view taken on the l 2 by set Ascrews 7. .f

. The mechanism forclamping the Work and clinching the staplesV is carried by two arms 7 8 bolted to upward extensions 9 of arms 4 so that a clamping and clinching mechanism 'is provided directly above each staple-forming 10 and driving unit carried by arms 4. l

The staple stock`wire 10 for each staplin unitis carried by a reel 11 on a shaft l2 supported by brackets 50 bolted to frame 1, and is fed through a tube 15 tothe staple-forming 15 mechanism at the nose of arm 4 by-feed rllers 13 and 14 mounted on stud shafts secured to arm v4. The staple-forming andi driying mechanism, which is located at the nose of each arm 4, consists of a staple-former 16 hav- 120 ing a cutting edge \17 a loop bar 18 about 4which the staple is bent by the staple-former, and a driver 19 to drive 'the staple from the staple-former upward into thewwork. The staple-formin and driving -mechanism as thus far descrlbed is well known and, therefore, need not be described in detail, it being sufficient here to say'that the proper lengthv of staple stock Wire 10 for a staple is fed over the staple-former 16 and beneath the loop bar 3o 18. The staple-former is then raised cutting off the wire between cutting edge 17 and a lixed cutter 20-bolted to arm 4 and bending the wire upward about the loop bar 18. When the formation of the staple iscompleted, the

driver is raised forcing the lobp bar 18 out of line and driving'the staple out of the stapleformerinto the work. The parts are then returned to initial position and another length of wire is fed to position to be severed and fornied into a staple. The staple-former and 45,- arm 53 being supported at 4one end by levery stock wire by the staple-forming mechanism driver are raised andlowered by a rack-plate 52 meshing with a sector gear 51 which is rocked by a reciprocating arm 53through a lever 54 pivoted to,l the side of arm4; said 54 anda't the lother end by a lever 59. Lever 59, which is the same size as lever-` 54T is pivoted at one end to arm 53 ,and at the other end tothe side of arm 4. Heretofore, staples formed from staple just,described, by reason ofthe manner in which the wire was severed by the cutters 17 and 20,-were inclined to spread when driven 55 into the box materials. This spreadin limited thelength of staples which cou d driven. I have, therefore, provided mechanism operable upon the staple stock wire before it reaches the staple-formin and drivf ing mechanism proper, whereby c isel-point- Figs. 2 and 7 to 10 inclusive, and comprises a l ed staples or round-pointed "staples, whichever is preferred, may be formed.

"The mechanism for forming chisel-pointed or round-pointed staples is best show n in being such that the wire passes between said dies and in\ position to be squeezed between them when movable die 22 is forced upward against stationary die 21. fThe forming dies are so formed as to indent the wire on either side thereof, as shown in Fig. 9.

` To form a chisel-pointed staple, the wire is held stationa while the movable die 22 is -forced upwar towardjstationarydie 21 a suflicient number of times (five -in the illus- -trative machine) to'indent the wire on either side without, however, completely severing the wire but leaving suilicient attachment to feed the wire forward to the staple-forming -mechanism proper where the fthin attachment at the point of indentation is severed b the cutters 17V and 20, thus prducin the cliiselpoint shown in Fig. 12.' f

To form a round-pointed staple, the wire 10 is given a fifth of a revolution between reciprocations of movable die 22, thus presenting `different portions of the wire to the 'action of the forming dies and forming a 'round'indenture which is subsequently completely severedib'y the cutters-17 and 2O to form the round point shown in; F ig. 11.

, Movable forming d1e 22 is driven upward toward stationary forming die 21 by a toggle 25,' the upper end of which is held in an opening in plate24 and contacts with the lower end of die 22. The lower end of-toggle 25 is pivotedto/ the side of stapler arm lUU 4. Die 22 is, held in Contact with the upper end of toggle 25 by a spring 26. Toggle 25 is operated by an arm 27 carried by a rod 28, which arm and rod are reciprocable in plates 29 keeps toggle' 25 in contact with arm 27.

bolted to the side ofstapler arm 4. A spring ,For revolving wire 10 to form the round- 'operatin said split chuck to grip the wire,

and Tate et means for revolving said split chuck to present different portions of the wire 10 tothe action of the forming dies 21 and 22.

Splitchuek 3 0 is caused to close upon and grip theuwire 10 when it is forced into a cone shaped collarl 98 which is provided with ball bearings 99 to facilitate rotation of the chuck as hereinafter explained. Split chuck 30 is forced into cone shaped collar 98 by moving sleeve 31 to the left viewing Fig. 2. Sleeve 31 is moved to the left by anrarm 33 pivoted at its upper end to the side of stapler `arxnJ `/4 and the lower end of which lies in the path 1,7'i'a,512 l 33 rides up on cam-plate 34,` sleeve 31 is moved to the left viewing Fig. 2 and split chuck 30 is caused to grip wire 10. When cam-plate 34 is withdrawn from engagement with arm 33, a spring 35 moves sleeve 31 and arm 30 to the right, viewing Fig. 2, thus releasing split chuck 30 from its gripping engagement Y with the wire 10.

The mechanism for revolving split chuck v304 to make the round-pointed staple comafter explained, abutment 39 will engage andv move bell-crank lever 38 thereby raising pawl 36 and revolving ratchet 37 and sleeve', 31.

Pawl 36 is returned to itsilowermost posi\ tion and bell-crank lever 38 is held in contact with abutment 39 by means of a spring 40. It will be understood that the mechanism for revolving sleeve 31 need not be incorporated in the machine if chisel-pointed staples are desired. y

The box or crate and` its end or head are positioned and fed on two feed bars 41, cli supportedby a stapler/arm 4 and slidable valong said arm on guide rails 42. Each bar 41 is provided with an adjustablestop plate 43 which may be secured by setscrews at any point along said bar and against which the end or head of the box is positioned when placed on the bar 41 by the operator. The

stop plates 43 each carry a positioning arm 44 formed as shown in Fig. 4, which arms force the box or crate sides i'nto close contact with I the end or head and hold the sides in said position during the work-feeding and stapling operations. L. y When the box or crate and its end or head are placed on the bars 41 by the operator,-

the bars '41 are in the extended position shown in Fig. 20, having reached this extended posit1on upon completion of the stapling operation on the preceding box or crate. After placing the end or head of the "box or crate on the bars 41, theoperator pushes the bars 41 into the machine until the .left-hand end of the bars4l, viewing F ig. 19, are flush with the ends of stapler arms 4.

When the bars 41 with the box or crate and its end or head positioned thereon have 'been pushed into the machine, the machine is started and the bars 41 carrying the work are automatically fed step-by-step out of the ma.-

' chine b staple-fy the mechanism next described, the orming and driving mechanism operating between feed steps to drive staples into the Work. .u l

Each bar 41 is fed out -of the machine by mechanism lcarried by its supporting stapler arm 4 and, as the mechanisms on each arm are identicala description of/one will vsuffice, it being understood that thetwo feeding mechanisms are arranged to act in unison. Bar 41 is provided on its underside `with rack teeth 45 which are engaged by a pawl 46 pivoted at 47 to a plate 48 reciprocable horizontally "in guideways 49 bolted to arm 4. During the feeding of the bars 41 out 4of the'm'achine, pawl 46'is held in engagement with rack teeth 45 by a spring-pressed plunger 55 carried by va casing 56 bolted to plate 48 and which engages a notch 57 in pawl 46. Plate 48 carrying pawl 46 is reciprocated by an arm 58 pivotally connected at one end to the lever 54 and at the otherl end to the lever 59, said arm `58 carrying a roller 60 which engages an extensionv61 ofthe plate 48. .Plate 48 is returned to the right, viewing F ig. 3, by. a spring 62. The extent of movement of plate f 48 and feed pawl.46 may be controlled by an Y adjustment screw 63 carried by a late 64 bolted. to arnr 4. Thus the distance etween 'staples may be controlled by adjusting screw` 63, it being understood Ythat a staple is driven between feed steps 0f the work and after the work comesto rest.

Mechanism is provided to disengage pawl box-ending operation so as to permit the operator to push bars 41 with the materials for the next box thereon back into themachine for the next box-ending operation. Said mechanism consists of a cam-plate 65 carried by adjustable stop-plate 43, which cam# plate 65 engages a pin 66 carried by pawl 46 and forces pawl 46 out yof--engagement withy :rack teeth J45.n When cam-plate 65 engages and lowers pin 66, notch57 in pawl 46 will be raised` out of engagement withJplunger 55,

which plunger 55 will enter a notch 67 in pawl r u 46 and hold pawl 46 out of engagement with rack teeth 45 until pawl 46 is again forced into' engagement with rack teeth ,45 as next explained. i

`For moving pawl 46Yinto engagement with rack teeth 45 when the bars 41 have been pushed back into the machine by the operator, each bar 41' is Vprovided with a cam-` p plate 68 adapted to engage and2 raise pin 66 on pawl 46, thus forcing pawl 46 into' engagement with rack teeth 45, fin which posi-` Y tion the pawl is held by plunger 55 which enters notch 57 inthe/pawl 46. The engagement between Cam-.plate 68 and pin`66 also serves to prevent bars 41 from rbeing pushed too far into-the machine by the operator. Thus it will be seen that mechanism is provided automatically to associate the feed pawl with the rack teethywhen the bars 41 have been pushed into the machine by the op-4 erator and to correctly position the work for the first staplifng operation, and that mechaa', 46 from rack teeth 45 upon completion of each v clincher anvil 70. Sector gear 72 which is nism is also provided Vto disassociate said 'pawl and said teeth when the bars have fed the ended box outof thei'nachin'e. y

The clamping and clinching mechanism which is carried by clincher arms 8 consists ofra. clincher anvil 70 slidable vertically in side plates 71 andoperated by a sector gear4i 72 which meshes with gear teeth 73 cut in journalled in side plates 71 is operated b v a reciprocating rod 74 through a lever 7 5. The arrangement is suvch that the clincher anvil 70 is forceddownward and held on the box parts during the staple-driving operation, thus clamping the box parts on the stapling arm 4 lduring the driving of the staple and clinching any stapfe legs which maybe driven clear through thel box-parts. J i The mechanisms here'nabove described for feeding staple stock wire, for forming and driving ,the staples, for forming chisel or round-pointed staples,'.for positioningf and, feeding the box parts, and for. clamping the box parts and clinching the staples are all operated from a main drive shaft f' in supports 1. f

Feed rollers 13 and 14 for feeding the-staf ple stock wire are rotated inter ittently by' a ratchet77 and a pawl 81", said ratchet and pawl mechanism being actuated by-a cam78` on shaft 76 acting on a roller 79 carried by an arm 80 pivoted to stapler arni 4 at one end'and to the pawl 81 at the other end. A s ring 82 holds roller 79 in contact with cam 8 and a spring 83;holds the'pawl 81 in engagement with its ratchet wheel. The arrangement of the cam and lratclhet and paWl-mechanism is such that the proper length of staple stock Wire to form \a staple is fed to the stapleforming mechanism after the staple-former and driver have been lowered following a staple-forming and drivingoperation.

Reciprocating arm 53, which through the.

train of mechanisml hereinabove described operates the'y staple-forming and' driving mechanism at the nose of stapler arm 4 and v also the work-feeding mechanism, is operated by a pitman 84 from an eccentric 85 on shaft 76. As shownin Fig. 3, when arm `53 is moved to the left, the bars 41 carrying the work are mbved forward a step and the staplel. former and driver are lowered, and when the 76 which engages a rol-ler 87 carried on the end of rod 28, as shown in Fig. 2; Roller 87 Ais pressed against cam 186 by a spring 88.

" It will be noted that'cam 86 is designed to fos actuate'the rod 28 five times' per revolution of shaft 76, said five actuations occurring during approximately one-half a revolution of (6 j ournalled shaft 7 6*. During the other halffrevolution of shaft 76, cam k86 permits spring 88 to hold arm 4.

f staple may be fed forward to thevnose of Rod` 74 which operatesthe clincher mechanism" on arm 8 is actuated by a cam 89 acting on a roller 90carried on the lower end of bell-crank lever 91pivoted at 92 tovthe arm y 4 and the upper end of which is pivbtally sillustrative `machine, a clutch of the well known pin type is shown, which clutch is thrown in by stepping on 'a foot-pedal 95. A suitablebrake 101 is also provided to stop shaft 76 when the clutch connection betwee said shaft and the drive pulley is broken, sai

brake being controlled by the Jfoot pedal 95.

to the opposite sides of arms 4', which plates extend down to theshaft A76 and maintain the cams and eccentrics in proper position on The operator firstadjusts'the two (stapling arms the proper distance apartto accommodate the size of box or crate to be ended. That is, he'spaces-a'rms 4 such a` distance apartcthat- 'when the box to be ended is slippedbver said arms, as shownlin Figs. 1- and 22, the arms'/ will contact with opposite inner faces, of the box sides. ,He then adjusts vstop plates 43 on bars 41 the proper distance from the end of said bars, thattis, such a' distance, from the end of the bars that when an en'd is placed against the stops 43, the opposite extremity of the end will be flush with the ends..0f bars 41. He then adjusts screws 63 to control the extent of movement of the work between stapling operations and threads ,the staple stock wire in the usual and well known manner. With Jthe parts in the position Y shown in Fig. 20, he places a box end on the bars 41 and against the stops'43 and wraps thejbox orcrate around the end and the bars 41 pushingI the box or crate up against the stops 43. During .this operation thearms 44 positionthe sides of the box or crate in close contact with the sides of the' bars 41 and "thenhold the box or crate in such position. The operatcr then pushes the bars 41 with the box materials positioned thereon into the mal chine until the plates 68 on the arms 41 contact-with pins 66 carried by pawls 46 thereby stopping` further movement of arms 41 and throwing pawls 46 into engagement with rack teeth 45. The parts are then in the position shownv in Fig. 19. The operator then steps on foot-pedal 95 whereupon drive pulley 94 is clutched to drive shaft 76. Upon revolution of shaft 76, eccentrics 85 pull plates 53'to the right viewing Figf3 which cause sector gears 51 to operate the stap'le-formers and drivers each of which forms and drives a staple into the work. Movement of plates 531:0 the right also moves pawlsl 46to the right until they are stopped by the screws 63 contacting with plates 48. At .the same time, cams 89 operate the clincher anvils 70 tb clamp the work during the staple-driving operations. During the staple-driving operations and` While the staple stock wire is stationary, cams 86 operi ate rods 88 which cause split chucks 30 to grip the wires and toggles 25 to' operate movable` dies 22 to indent the wires. At the same time, bell-crank levers 38 are causing pawls 36 to turn the wires between operations of moyable dies `22. -Whenmovable -dies '22 have been operated five times by the points on cams 86, the flat sides of said cams permit springs 88 to move rods 28 to the right vviewing Fig. 2, thus releasing the staple stock wires from the grip of split chucks 30. Cams 7 8 then operate ratchet and pawl mechanisms 77 to feed forward staple stock wires for the next staples and eccentrics 85 move plates 53 to the left, viewing Fig'. 3, which movement causes pawls 46 to feed bars 41 and the work into position to receive the next staples. This operation is repeated-at each cycle of the drive shaft 76, the work being fed forward step-bystep by thereciprocating pawls 46 and a staple being driven at each side of the box between each feed step of the work. The step-by-step feed of the work continues until cani-plates 65 strike pins 66 on pawls 46 and throwthe pawls out of engagement with rack teeth 45. The operator then takes his foot 0H' footpedal 95 stopping the machine and removes the ended box from the bars'41 and places materials for the next ending operation there on I pplicants invention has many advantages over prior art end stapling machines.

The double head feature reduces the time f'el 'quired to end a box as the end is Istapled to the cleats of both sides of the' box at the same time.' The mechanism for making -chisel 6r round-pointed staples makes/it possible to form and drive longer staples into'the work,

` thus insuring la more secure attachment of the end to the fcleats of the box or crate., The work-positionmg and feeding mechanism,

which automatically positionsfand feeds the work after yit is ushed into the machine,V makes it possible fld the next b ox`and its end while the work in the machine is being operated upon. The automatic feed of the work also insures the driving of the requisite number of staplesinto the work the proper distances apart without any attention-on the part of the operator.. In prior art end stapling machines, it was necessary for the workman to position and feed the'box and its end during the entire end stapling operation with the result that the character of the product was dependent almost entirely on t/he skill and attention of the. opera-tor. rIn applicantsmachme, pn the other hand, the` voperator-simply places the materials on .the Wonkaholder and pushes the work-holder and materials into the machine, after which the machine holds the work in correct position and feeds it out of the machine without further attention on the part the following steps: first by forming a plurality ofoppositelyidisposed V shaped dentsv r the operator to prepare in the wire about itsv circumference at potential staple points, second, by severing the wire atsaidpoints, and`third, by bending the f severed portion into staple form, whereby the staples will Vhave tapering points substantially round in cross section.

2. A machine for forming staples comprisingl means to feed staple stock wire, co operating wire indenting devices operable a plurality of times upon the wire at a poten; tial staple point to indent the wire at sald point, a wire gripping device to turn the wire about its axis between operations of said in-` dent-ing device, means to sever the wire at potential staple points, and means to bend the l severed portion of said wire into staple form.y

v3.151 machine for forming staples compris-v -ing means to feed staple stock wire, means to sever the wire, means to bend the severed portion into staple form, and 'separate and 1ndependent wire indenting devlces operable to form a plurality l of oppositely dlsposed V shaped dents in the Nstaple stockwire at a potential staple point prior to the severing oper ation, whereby the indentations made by the indenting devices will form a tapering staple point substantially round in cross section;

4. A'machine for formingistaples comprising means to feed sta le stock wlre, means to vindent the staple stoc wire at potential staple points, separate ahdindependent means to sever the staple stock wire -at said points, and means to bend the severed portionof said wxirevnto stapleform; said indenting means comprisin relatively movable wire indenting.k

dies opera le a plurality f times onoppoLsite sides of the wire to produce a center-pointed ,staple substantiall round in cross section. l

In testimony w ereof, I have signed my name tothis pecication.

U SE

APHINE F. BAUWENS.

maan: 

